Potter's Paradise
by pottermum
Summary: It's yet another Halloween, but rather than feeling down about his parents, Harry has so much to look forward to. He knows they would understand.


It was something that they spoke in their hypothetical perfect future, finding their forever home, but unspoken was, after Quidditch, after his expected rise to leading the Aurors – but they hadn't factored in a rambunctious one year old in James Sirius Potter.

Grimmauld Place had served them well for many years now; Ron and Harry had lived there together while Hermione and Ginny returned to Hogwarts for their final year, but when that was over, Ron and Hermione found their own flat close to Diagon Alley and Ginny moved in with Harry.

They married within the year and after a remarkable season that saw the Harpies just miss the finals, they decided to take a holiday together, returning with more than just good memories of their time away.

Harry was ecstatic upon learning the news of her pregnancy and raised the subject of moving out then. They began the search for a new home soon after but found nothing that suited, none that gave them that sense of home. Finally, at six months pregnant, Ginny had had enough, and they settled down to prepare for the birth of their first child.

The birth itself was standard and James was an easy baby; a good sleeper with a Weasley-esque appetite. He was a happy, inquisitive baby, all that a new parent could want, and those first precious days, weeks and months as parents would always be amongst Harry and Ginny's fondest memories in later years.

It was soon apparent that little James' inquisitve nature meant he was into everything. He had to be watched at all times for he seemed to find all the secret nooks and hidey holes in Grimmauld Place, including the small room Kreacher used to sleep in. And once he started walking – at eight months – nowhere was safe.

Hermione had told them about muggle safety gates, meant to protect infants from getting into places they shouldn't be in. But she hadn't taken into account her godson's need to be wherever he shouldn't, and unintentionally providing little James his first bout of accidental magic. Finding the gate at the top of the stairs was impacting the fun he could hear downstairs, he clamoured up the rail and jumped down.

Luckily Ginny had the sense to cast cushioning charms around, not for the lack of confidence in any muggle safety objects but more so from remembering the kind of mischief bored twins could do with younger siblings when parents were busy. And she herself had fallen down those very stairs, thanks to her brothers showing off their ability to finally use magic away from school.

So she wasn't as surprised or shocked as Harry when their son's loud giggles of glee had them and Ron and Hermion, running from the kitchen, to find James bouncing up and down as if on a trampoline, safety gates be damned. Harry declared then and there they would start looking for a new house.

Ginny was feeling more and more tired these days, James certainly kept her on her toes, so she entrusted Harry to begin looking with an agent and she would go with him for a second look if he thought the house had merit.

The agent mistakenly believed they would be after a modern stylish home, picturing the Potters posing for stories in their new abode and she was already counting her commission. But after several frustrating visits to these luxurious modern homes, Harry took her to the Burrow to show her exactly what he and Ginny were looking for.

Ginny remembered the day Harry had come hurling through the floo, almost trembling with excitement.

"Gin, come on, you have to come and see this place," he urged, already grabbing her cloak and a jacket for James.

The agent greeted her and James with a smile and simply stood aside as Harry lead them around the older building.

" – and here, I thought we could knock this wall out and make it all big and open, did you see the size of that fireplace? Anyway, the structure is sound, we really just need to update it to how we want," he said, gesturing to one corner or another as he pointed out its many features.

They went upstairs, Harry telling James that one of the bedrooms could be his. James checked all three out and decided on one; it was the one Ginny would have wanted for him anyway.

" and this is the master bedroom, with a small bathroom off the side," he gushed, taking her hand and leading her to the window in the bedroom. "Look at that view!"

The window overlooked the overgrown backyard. Ginny winced at the amount of work it would take to bring it up to scratch. As if reading her mind, Harry assured her he had grand plans for the back yard, starting with a veggie patch and perhaps a cubby house for James.

"And the best bit is there are no neighbours even close," finished Harry, exhaling loudly.

Loyal James clapped and Harry laughed as he picked his son up. "What do you think, Jamie, do you reckon this is our new house?"

His son nodded eagerly, reaching for the window to see outside. "Will you help your daddy out in the garden, Jamie boy?" he asked, then looked at Ginny. "I'm sure your mum and dad could help us out with the garden, and even Neville if it comes to that. A nice big garden to play in, to plant flowers and vegetables and maybe even some plants for the potions we make ourselves," he suggested. "That little room downstairs near the mudroom could be set up for that."

Ginny shook her head. "Ive already earmarked that room for your office," she murmured, walking around the room and peeking into the bathroom once again. Harry was right, it was mostly cosmetic work needed in the house, to put their own stamp on it, particularly in the bedrooms, where all was needed was a coat of paint.

"So what do you think?" he asked nervously.

Ginny studied him for several seconds; he was staring back, anxiously waiting for her decision. Her sweet Harry, who rarely asked for anything, had indeed found a diamond in the rough.

"I think I want to see outside better, get a feel for it," she told him, and he nodded, picking up James as they returned downstairs.

She lingered in the kitchen for a minute, imagining her enormous family in here. With a smile of satisfaction, she headed out to join her boys.

Harry was chasing James and Ginny smiled to hear the little boy's laughter. There was a small shed, perfect for the family brooms and sundry, and the yard was large, just as she would have wanted.

They walked down to the edge of the property which, to Ginny's delight, included a pond deep enough to swim in, just like the Burrow.

She and Harry turned to look back at the house. The roof needed some work, but magical reparations were a lot simpler than muggle means, so any major work needed was neither here nor there.

"Ginny?"

"How much is it?" she asked non commitedly.

He mentioned a figure that was reasonable for the size of the land.

She pointed to the roof. "The roof needs work. Make an offer ten percent less, see what they say," she suggested.

His face brightened. "You like it?"

She put her arms around him. "Harry, you found our home. It feels just like the Burrow, and we just need to make it ours. It'll take a bit of work out here, but it'll be fun, yeah?"

Harry kissed her forehead, then bent to pick up James. "What do you say, Jamie? Think this is the place for the three of us?"

James nodded but wriggled to be put down so he could run off and explore.

"Actually, it's the four of us," said Ginny calmly, as they started to walk back. "I did the test this morning."

"Wha-seriously?" he stopped her with a hand on her arm. " A-another baby...already?" he stammered.

She nodded, slipping her arms around him. "I'll make a healer's appointment tomorrow to find out my due date. But right now, we have a home to buy."

Harry held her close, his lips brushing the side of her face. "Thank you, Ginny," he whispered.

She cupped his jaw as she saw the emotion on his face. "You did good, Harry, you found us our forever home," she told him gently, " it's perfect."

They settled on the house within the fortnight and then spent the next few weeks painting and seeing what furniture they could bring with them from Grimmauld Place and what they would need to buy for the new place.

After a fresh coat of paint and some updated appliances, Ginny let Harry sort out the kitchen and mudroom, for he did the majority of the cooking. The fireplace was checked, cleaned and connected to the floo network.

Bit by bit they brought their personal belongings to the new house until it was time to completely farewell Grimmauld Place. Harry cast a stasis charm to keep the place fresh, as he planned to hand it over to Teddy when he came of age.

They announced the new pregnancy at their house warming party on a sunny Sunday afternoon. The overall opinion was it was homey, with the feel of the Burrow. James insisted everyone come see his bedroom and took them there himself.

Harry was already conversing with Neville about the best place for their plant beds, and the best time to plant. Arthur had cast enlargement charms on their shed and Bill and Fleur had helped cast some of the strongest wards possible to a domestic abode. George and Ron planned to erect a tyre swing on one of the large branches that reached over the pond and Ginny was trying to convince Charlie and Percy to come and help Harry build some sort of structure for outside entertaining, a gazebo or deck, perhaps.

All in all, in these giddy early days, Harry almost had to pinch himself that this was his life now. Married to an amazing woman, a wonderful son and another child on the way, living in what could be his dream home. Or, as Ron had named it –

Potter's Paradise

5 Years Later

Harry roused from his sleep. Checking the time, he saw it was early in the morning, but he had planned to get up this early. He pulled the bedcovers off and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Harry?" Ginny's sleepy voice made him look over at her, her tousled hair vibrant against the white of the pillow case. "Are you sure you want to go alone?"

She had suggested calling Molly over to watch the kids while they were out, or even for him to ask Ron and Hermione to accompany him, but he had shaken his head.

"I'll be fine, love," he assured her quietly, his glance falling on Lily Luna asleep in their bed. "Lily needs you right now, and I won't be long. I plan to be home in time to make you all breakfast."

Ginny nodded and silently watched him as he dressed. She'd accompanied him to Godric's Hollow for every birthday, Mother's Day, Father's Day and today, All Hallow's Eve. But Lily had been teething during the night and Ginny had been up with her till she'd finally fallen asleep at three, and Ginny had brought her to their bed.

But she didn't want to think of Harry going to the cemetery alone, not today. "Are you sure you don't want me -?" she began to ask, when he cut her off with a kiss.

"I always want you," he teased softly, so as not to wake their daughter. He kissed her again, and she loped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too," he replied, and then he was gone.

True to his word, he was back within the hour. He found James on the sofa eating dry cereal straight out of the box. Albus was also on the sofa, but sitting upside down as he read the latest 'Marvin the Mad Muggle' comic. Sir, the family dog, lay on the floor close, eager for any bits of cereal that fell to the floor.

Checking upstairs he saw Ginny and Lily were fast asleep still so he left them and returned downstairs to make breakfast for the boys, even finagling them into helping, for he loved times like these with his sons.

By the time Ginny and Lily came downstairs to find remnants of breakfast waiting for them under a warming charm, a quick look outside showed Harry, James and Albus were all there.

After eating then dressing, Ginny hitched Lily on her hip and they went outside. Her parents must have flooed over while she was upstairs, for her dad was outside with Harry, inspecting his garden and her mother was making a treacle tart in the kitchen, keeping an eye on her grandsons through the window.

Ginny walked towards them. James was flying on his beginner broom, barely three feet off the ground. Albus was throwing the ball then chasing after it, trying to be quicker than the dog, who always won.

"Da, da," chanted Lily, her arms stretching out. She'd been daddy's girl from day one; her eyes lit up at the sight of him.

As if he had heard her, or perhaps sensing them, Harry turned, a beaming smile on his face. He said something to his father-in-law as he walked towards his girls.

"Want to go to Daddy, Lil?" asked Ginny, and Lily nodded. Ginny set her down when Harry was a short distance away.

He knelt, his arms opened wide. " Come on, Lily, come to Daddy? You can do it, sweetheart," he encouraged.

And Lily Luna took her first tentative steps on her own, arms outstretched uncertainly. "Da," she said, "Da."

" Come on, Lily, nearly there," he coaxed.

She wavered wobbily but, determined to reach her daddy, she kept going, toddling right into his arms.

He closed them around her, lifting her up. "My clever girl," he told her proudly, "my clever Lily loo."

She patted his cheek. "Da."

James and Albus ran to them, praising Lily. Sir kept close by, for Albus still had the ball in his hand. Molly and Arthur watched on as Ginny encouraged James to fly for her, then she and Albus picked some flowers for the dining table.

It may have been All Hallow's Eve, and Harry knew he would always feel a touch of melancholy on this day, but a look around him reminded him of all he had now. He knew his parents would not want him to focus on the bad memories associated with this date, but embrace each and every day with his beloved wife and children.

He was living Potter's paradise.


End file.
